Preheat your oven to 375F. Butter and lightly flour a 9"x13" pan. In a large bowl, use a spatula to mix together 4 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 cup of butter, diced, until crumbs form. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture. In another large bowl, mix together 1 cup molasses, 2 cups hot water, and 2 tsp baking soda. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top of the batter.

Slide the pan into the oven and bake until it smells good, about 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350F and bake until a sharp knife inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes more. Remove the cake and allow it to cool slightly.

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